For Both of Us
by KissofJudas
Summary: Cloud keeps having nightmares, but it's not the ones he's used to. Can someone from his past finally kick some sense into him? Story written for author chibipinkbunny.


Hey there everyone - just a little drabble I attempted to put together for author chibipinkbunny, since we'd been talking about Cloud and Zack, and I figured she could use a story about them. Of course, they're not really my strong point so it's probably not exceptionally well-written. XD But here it is, and I hope you all at least don't hate it!

* * *

When so many of his dreams were in black and shades of grey, the ones in white were always the ones that stood out. Even when the nightmares stopped coming so often, even after everything was supposed to be back to normal... Even then, there was peace in that pure whiteness.

"I thought you'd gotten past all of this." His voice was calm, smooth – the same arrogantly amused tone he'd always had. Cloud spun on his heel to face a man dressed all too similarly to the way he'd dressed for so long.

"Zack."

The SOLDIER just shook his head, taking the few steps forward to come face to face with the blonde. "Aren't you finished tormenting yourself?"

"It's not like I choose to have these dreams, Zack," Cloud shot back, blue eyes watching his friend. "After we chased off the remnants...after that last battle with Sephiroth... I thought I was done too. I saw you...saw you and Aerith, I thought it was all over. I tried to change. I started talking to people again, began confiding in Tifa... I've gotten better." The dark-haired man had no response. "So why am I still having these dreams, Zack? Why do you still visit me in my sleep?"

"I wish I knew." Zack sat down, looking up at Cloud. "What do you see when I'm not here?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"You have other dreams, don't you? What do you see in them?"

Visions flashed through Cloud's mind. The nightmares before had been of Meteor, of Sephiroth, of Nibelheim burning. But these ones...these nightmares were from years ago, and only now resurfacing. These were nightmares of gunfire, of blood staining blonde hair scarlet, nightmares that wake him screaming in the night because his chest burns with a pain he thought he'd long put behind him.

"You," Cloud replied simply. Zack tilted his head, confused. "They're all of the day you died. Just like before."

"Before?"

"Oh, come on, Zack." Cloud crossed his arms. "You didn't really think I just walked away from that without a few scars?"

The raven-haired SOLDIER smirked. "To my recollection, you could barely walk away on your own, let alone with the Buster you were trying to carry."

"The sword is heavy."

"I never had any problems with it."

Cloud had to fight to keep the smile from his face. These were the times he missed; these were the times that by remembering them, brought the nightmares back. "Why did you want to know?"

"Why do you still dream of the night I died?" Now the jesting tone was gone; Zack was serious again.

"I don't know. If I knew, I would have told you earlier."

Zack stood up. "I think you do know, Cloud." He put his hands behind his head, his body relaxing when his voice wouldn't. "And I think you don't want to face it, which is why you're still dreaming."

"I've been doing nothing but face problems I don't want to think about, Zack – what more could there possibly be?" But the blonde was beginning to think, whether he wanted to or not...began to think about what had happened that day.

"Living legacy...the proof you existed in this world. For the both of us." Cloud looked over at Zack. "That's what you said to me back then."

"I remember it," the dark-haired man responded. "What of it?"

"Do you think I did it? Did I really live for both of us?"

Zack had to smirk. "Well, for me I'm pretty sure you did that all too well, really." Cloud rolled his eyes, trying to hide the matching smile. "But I think for a while you forgot to live for you, too."

That caught the blonde's attention. "For me?"

"You're on the right path, Cloud." Zack clapped a hand on Cloud's shoulder. "But remember – I said for the both of us. Not just for me."

…

The pain was just an ache when he woke up.

But that was better than usual.

"For both of us. ...Yeah. You're right."


End file.
